Bohol Province
is the 10th largest island of the Philippines. It is an oval-shaped
island province located in Central Visayas. It is bounded by Cebu
in the east; Bohol Strait in the west; Camotes Sea in the north;
and Mindanao Sea in the south. Tourism on this attractive, idyllic
and scenic island has begun to develop. The world-renowned Chocolate
Hills can be found in the province.

BRIEF PROFILE

Capital:

Tagbilaran
City

Land Area:

4,117 sq km

Population:

1,255,128 (2010)

Cities:

Tagbilaran

Munacipalities:

47

Barangays:

1,109

Districts:

1st to 3rd districts of Bohol

Languages:

Cebuano (Boholano),Tagalog, English

The land_______________________________

Bohols´s terrain is rolling and hilly.

The islands´s interior is generally flat but dotted with
numerous haycock- shaped hills popularly know as the "Chocolate
Hills."

The southern part is basically mountainous, with deep gullies
and gorges that slope abruptly to the sea.The northern section
has alluvial valleys and low-lying hills.

The coastline, except in the north is characterized by woodlands,
grass and dense swamplands.

75 small islands can be found off the mainland, with Panglao
considered as the largest.

The climate varies in different areas - warm and dry along the
coast; cold and humid in the interior. Rainfall, however, is evenly
distributed.

A Brief History___________________________

Created on March 10, 1917, Bohol derives its name from the early
village of "Bool", near what is now Tagbilaran.

The island came under the Spanish rule in 1565.

Two major rebellions against the Spaniards happened in this province:
the Tamblot revolt in 1621 and the Dagohoy revolt, which happened
from 1744 to 1829, and is considered as the longest revolt in
Philippine history.

The province is also known as the home province of Carlos P.
Garcia, the fourth President of the Philippines.

The People______________________________

Boholanos are known to be good traders and often referred to
as the "Ilocanos of the South". This is because of their
frugality and being industrious.

Majority of the people speak the Cebuano dialect.

Commerce and Industry_____________________

Agriculture is the main industry in the province. Products mostly-generated
are rice, coconut and corn.

Fishing can be found in the northern towns, particularly those
beside the Camotes Sea. Among the minerals the province produces
are manganese, iron and tin.

Bohol's handicrafts are famous throughout the country. These
include baskets, items woven with saguran fibers, abaca mats and
slippers, the buntal hats of Talibon, and shellcraft. These crafts
are sold in souvenir-shops all over the country.

Getting There and Away_____________________

CEBU, NEGROS(Dumaguete): Hydrofoils ply the Cebu-Dumaguete-Tagbilaran
route several times daily. Domestic airplanes also fly from Cebu
to Tagbilaran.

LEYTE: A big outrigger boat departs from Ubay (north Bohol) to
Bato in Leyte, and another boat to Maasin in Leyte.

MANILA: A large superferry departs from Manila to Tagbilaran
twice a week. Domestic airplanes are another alternative.

MINDANAO: A ferry services the Jagna,Bohol- Butuan route. The
Tagbilaran-Cagayan de Oro route is being serviced by hydrofoils
and ferries.

Other Information__________________________

Tagbilaran City is the province´s principal port and commercial
center. Hotels, restaurants, and shops, where handcrafts and locally
made products are sold, can be found throughout the city.

Tourist attractions can be found throughout the province, but the
most-visited is undoubtedly the Chocolate Hills. Two legends and
two geological explanations about the origin of the Chocolate Hills
exist.

The first legend tells of a fight between two giants who threw
stones and sand at each other for days, until they were so tired
and exhausted that they gave up and made friends. They left the
island but didn´t, however, tidy up the battlefield, leaving
the Chocolate Hills.

The second legend is a lot more romantic. Arogo, a young and unusually
strong giant, fell in love with an ordinary mortal, Aloya. After
Aloya´s death, Arogo cried bitterly. The Chocolate Hills are
proof of his grief, for his tears turned into hills.

Some geologists say Bohol lay under water in prehistoric times.
Volcanic eruptions caused uneveness in the bottom of the sea which
were gradually smoothened and rounded by the movement of the water.

Most geologists, however, say the explanation as nonsense. Even
though the geological origin of the hills has not yet been explained
beyond doubt, the consensus is that they were weathered formations
of a kind of marine limestone lying on the top of impermeable clay
soil. Comparisons have been made with the Hundred Islands of North
Luzon.